The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-01-08
The MAJORS STORY.


The following sketch, which was
written by Bret Harte, and published
in the New York Sun some years ago
under the title Of ssThe Man from Sal
ano," has recently, with few names
altered, been played off on the New
York Mirror by person named NJ.
B. Curtis, as original, and signed by
him as such. The fraud was promptly
exposed by the Sun and conceded by
the Mirror.
The Major told it TO me In the smok-
ing-room OF the Pullman car, on my
last trip from Frisco.
cit was a bitter cold Christmas Eve, {"
said the Major, ga good many years
ago, that he came toward me in the
lobby Of the Academy of Music, be-
tween the .acts-a figure more remarks
able than anything In the opera. His
clothes, no two articles Of which were
the same color, had the appearance Of
having been purchased and put on
only an hour or two before-a fact
more clearly established by the clothes
dealers ticket which still adhered to
his coat collar, giving the number, size
aud general dimensions of that gar.
ment somewhat obtrusively TO an un,
interested public. His trousers had a
straight line down each leg as II he
had been born fiat, but had since de-
veloped, and there was another crease
down his back like those figures chill.
dren cut out Of folded papers. would
say that there was no consciousness Of
this in his face, which was good ua-
tured, and but for a certain squareness
In the angle of the jaw, utterly unin-
teresting and commonplace.
"You disremember me-" he said
I'm from San Jose, in Caliiorny. I
met you there In the spring Of '57. l
was tendIn' sheep and you was burnin'
charcoal"
There was not the slightest trace of
any Intentional rudeness in the re-
minder. 1t was simply statement OF
fact, and as such must be accepted.
"What hailed you for was only
this" he said, after I had shaken
hands with him. 81 saw you a mint
ago standin' over in yon box-chirpin
with lady-a young lady, pert and
pretty. Might you be tellin' me her
name?"
gave him the name of a certain
noted belle OF neighboring city, who
was especially admired by the bril-
liant and fascinating young Wallford
who stood beside me.
The man from San Jose unused for a
moment and then said: "That's so
That's the name. It's the same gal ~
"You have met her then ?" asked
in surprise.
"Ye-es," he responded slowly: 81
met her about four months ago. She'd
been maxim a tower of Calif0rny, and
I first saw her aboard the cars this side
OF Reno. She lost her baggage checks,
I found them on the floor, gave them
back to her, and she thanked me. ]
reckon now 1t would be about the
square thing to go over thar and sorter
recognize her." He stopped moment
and looked at us inquiringly.
"My dear sir" struck in Waliford,
| ssif your hesitation proceeds from any
doubt Of the propriety of your attire,
beg you to dismiss 1t from your mind
at once. The tyranny o. custom, it is
true, compels your friend and 'oyseli
to dress peculiarly, but 1 can assure
you that nothing could be finer than
the way that olive green of your coat
melts in the delicate yellow of your
cravat, or the pearl gray of your trous.
ers blends with the bright blue of your
vest, aud lends additional brilliancy tc
that massive oroide watch. chain which
you wear.'
| To my surprise the man from San
Jose did not hit him. He looked al
the Ironical Waliford with grave
earnestness, and then said, quietly:
showin' me in thar?''
Wallford was little staggered, but
bowling Ironically, led the way to the
box. l followed the man from San
Jose.
| Now, the belle in question was a gen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT from gentle.
wonderland after WalIford's ironica
introduction, in which the stranger
was not spared, she comprehended the
situation Instantly.
To Wallford's surprise she drew 6
chair to her side, made the man from
San Jose sit down, quietly turned hel
back on Wallford, and in full view o.
the brilliant audience and the focus o
a hundred iognettes, entered into a
conversation with him.
He persisted in keeping the conver-
sation on the lost baggage checks, and
every bright attempt OF the lady to di
vert him signally failed. At last, tt
everybody's relief, he arose, aud lean
ing over her chair, said: